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The original was posted on /r/AmItheAsshole by /u/WildCarrotPie on 2023-10-07 08:33:29.

I (F22) have a service dog for fainting episodes. My dog is basically my medical equipment since he alerts when he senses an oncoming episode and either breaks me out of it or keeps me safe during it. He became a huge life changer for me since I can go out in public without being anxious about fainting (which obviously isn’t helping and may cause another episode).

So yesterday I was at the grocery store buying some food and minding my business with my dog by my side (keep in mind it’s a very cute fluffy Husky dog, so I understand the urge to pet the cute creature, that’s why he has a special vest with huge ass “MEDICAL ALERT SERVICE DOG DO NOT TOUCH” on it). After a while I was approached by a young boy (around 12 or so) in a wheelchair, who asked if he could pet the dog. I politely declined, saying that the doggo is working and I’d rather not have strangers disturb the working process of my medical equipment. He insisted, and I declined again.

Then his mother approached us with the same question. I was already getting pissed, and so I snapped and told the boy that he can pet my dog only if I pet his wheelchair. His mom got annoyed, saying that it’s weird to touch others’ medical equipment, and I snapped and said “yes, that’s the fucking point”. She called me an AH and left.

In all honesty I don’t think that I’m an AH, but I’m interested whether it was an AH move to get rude and ask to touch a very personal thing in response to being asked to let them pet my service dog.